Ryerson University is changing its food supplier in an attempt to meet student demands for cheaper and more sustainable food.
According to Julia Hanigsberg, the school’s vice-president (administration and finance), the change comes as a result of focus groups and a food survey. The study said students wanted more affordable food, as well as a commitment to bringing local and sustainable food onto campus.
The university’s contract with Aramark ended in the summer of 2013, and after a Request for Proposal chose Chartwells as their new supplier, according to Michael Forbes, Ryerson’s manager of media relations.
Forbes said the new menu will include a wider variety of items, including better catering to diets such as vegetarian, vegan, or halal.
The three-year contract also calls for the food services to provide a minimum of 25 per cent local and sustainable food, with a two per cent increase annually over the length of the contract.
Ryerson executive chef Joshna Maharaj said there are two tiers when it comes to what’s considered local. Raw, single ingredients—such as a tomato—must all be grown in Ontario, and pre-prepared products—such as salad mix—must contain at least 80 per cent materials grown in Ontario.
She also said sustainability “means growing, harvesting, packing, shipping, trading and consuming in a way that ensures that there is enough, for all, forever.”
This includes buying products that reduced pesticides, provide safe and fair working conditions for on-farm labour, and reducing on-farm greenhouse gas emissions, she said.
Maharaj said much of the student body is dubious about the change in food supplier, and that some of the students think Ryerson has traded one corporation for another.
Chartwells is a subsidiary of Compass Group, an international food conglomerate.
Another concern is that the decision may not be able to change prices because of the unionization of workers.
“We’ve made the decision that we’re going to provide good jobs and benefits for our food services staff,” said Forbes. “We’ll work very closely with Chartwells to see how we can be creative with menus and meal-plans to give our community good food at good prices.”
Both Forbes and Maharaj highlighted their concept of “daily deals” that they said will help students have more affordable food with $5 meals.
Maharaj said she is optimistic about bringing change to the school.
“I’m hoping to start a bit of a revolution in terms of food services on this campus,” she said.
